Monday, November 21, 2011

There was an LDS Family Services counselor who spoke at a multi stake meeting a few weeks ago about overcoming trauma and fear. One thing really struck me in that meeting. She said that our bodies are engineered to handle the big catastrophes. People who have been through horrendous tragedies surprisingly don't always need counseling because their brains and bodies are essentially wired to help them endure. Instead, its the smaller things-- the day-to-day trials and struggles-- that actually impact us more and do greater harm. Especially when we're young.I'm reading a book right now that I feel like I should love but I don't. There's action (major, end of the world type stuff), a romance, good characters. The writing is beautiful. So why don't I like it? It's boring. There's no micro-tension! Turmoil and major catastrophes? Yes, there's plenty of those. But from chapter to chapter it feels like the characters are numb to the crazy things happening around them and they just sit around worrying about the big picture. It's getting a little annoying, honestly. The author does a great job of getting us inside the characters' heads, but nothing is happening in there. At least, nothing new.So what is micro-tension? It can be a lot of things. It's the animosity Harry and Draco have for each other while Harry is trying to defeat Voldemort. Or the typical teenage/parent tension between Bella and her dad that Bella has to deal with while figuring out how to survive when dating a vampire. Or the death of a little girl that Katniss honors while trying to stay alive in a horrific game of Last Man Standing.We need micro-tension in our stories.If in life it's the small, day-to-day things that impact us the most, maybe it works that way in literature too. Just like in life, micro-tension develops character, shapes decisions, and often directs the final outcome. The big story is important, but it's the micro-tension from chapter to chapter that keeps us reading.

About Me

I'm a wife, a mom, and a writer-- usually in that order, but sometimes I get my rolls confused.

I've been a lover of good writing and literature since I was a child. I have a BA from BYU in (of course) English Literature, and though I don't read it exclusively, I tend to find myself hovering around the Fantasy sections of the book store.

I've always loved writing, but I never thought I'd write fiction (if I had, I definitely would've taken more creative writing classes in college *sigh*). But two and a half years ago I was up at a cabin for a family reunion, driving through the pine trees and the rolling hills, when the thought came to me, "this would be a great setting for a story." My mind took off from there and hasn't slowed down since.

So now here I am, hearing voices in my head, waking up in the middle of the night with a great plot twist, and forcing my children to ask me questions three or four times because my mind is off wondering through enchanted forests and magical kingdoms.

My Book Reviews

I'm a writer, not a professional reviewer. But people who know about my love for books often ask for suggestions, so I thought I'd start posting some reviews on my blog.

However, I will usually post only about books that I like, and what I like about them.